1. Field of the Invention
The invention pertains to the generation of RF signals and more particularly to the generation of high power signals at frequencies in the microwave range.
2. Description of the prior art
High power oscillators of the prior art include the well known magnetron, klystron, and traveling wave tube (TWT). Though these devices reliably deliver high power at microwave frequencies the size and weight concomitant with this power for many applications is excessive. Power at microwave frequencies, however, may be provided with the relatively recent development of solid state devices capable of operating at microwave frequencies. These solid state devices include the IMPATT, TRAPATT, and Gunn diodes as well as silicon bipolar and gallium arsenide field effect transistors. These devices are small and may be positioned for tuning in small resonant cavities characteristic of microwave frequencies. Such circuits, though small, do not provide sufficient power for many applications. To produce the required power for these applications it is necessary to use a multiplicity of these low power oscillators. This requires additional circuitry for coherently combining the generated signals, resulting in additional size and complexity.
This invention provides a small, relatively simple, high power microwave oscillator.